


Brothers

by yorkisms



Series: Lifeline Week '17 [7]
Category: Lifeline (Video Game 2015)
Genre: (mostly canon), Alternate Universe - Everyone Lives/Nobody Dies, Brothers, Gen, Implied/Referenced Abuse, Mental Health Issues, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Stockholm Syndrome, adams family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-07
Updated: 2017-05-07
Packaged: 2018-10-29 03:18:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10845384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yorkisms/pseuds/yorkisms
Summary: "The sins of the father are to be laid upon the children." -William ShakespeareOr: There's a universe where the Adams 'bots escaped. Of course, the other shoe sometimes drops, when that happens.





	Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> Lifeline week day 7: FREEBIE! 
> 
> For my freebie, I definitely wanted to write something about the sibs. This is what ensued. And normally I tag quotes on before starting but I just have SO MANY to go with this piece the more I think on it.
> 
> _What the child of Orion_   
>  _Has sown his cubs will reap_

The federal officers aren’t really sure what to do with the five robots recovered from ALT Yukon facility Alpha.

They separate them. Put them in individual rooms and run them through their paces on emotional tests, mental tests. They test as a human would. 

The one who identifies himself as V. Adams seems more antsy than anything. ALT records show he was barely activated, young, and all he has is a dog who refuses to leave his side. They try to remove the dog once. It upsets him. 

The one who identifies himself as I. Adams seems afraid of them. Afraid even more of ALT, but afraid of them as well. He doesn’t talk, and not just because of his lack of teeth. He’s not going to be a useful source

The one who identifies himself as II. Adams paces the floors, alternating between confidence in the situation and fear over periods of hours. When asked, he talks about his own problems that their creator identified, but seems to know very little about his brothers.

The one listed as III. Adams displays unchecked aggression towards anyone who tries to question him, and asks that he see the others before he decides to kill everyone there.

The last one, IV. Adams, is unnaturally calm, and asks that he be taken to their father. He is the only one to refer to Dr. Sibellius as their father, and the only one to have anything to say about ALT. 

IV. Adams doesn’t seem to think of ALT as bad, despite the certainly illegal actions of his creator. This is a point which, when pressed, seems to be a subject of disagreement. II. Adams looks nervous. III. Adams snarls angrily. V. shifts in place. I. remains silent.

It’s hard, but how can they expect a series of barely a month in age to come to terms with their new reality?

It’s hard when they’re finally reunited. IV. Adams seems to take the role of an older brother despite being the second youngest in form, straightening out the appearances of the others and questioning them on their behavior. V. Adams and II. Adams seem to appreciate the affection, while I. Adams begrudgingly accepts it and III. Adams struggles like a child. 

They talk softly for a while- the others seem to be trying to convince IV of something- before III stands up and paces angrily as V tries to diffuse the tension. V’s dog licks his hand. 

Whatever the problem is, they seem to settle on something then. 

When they’re sent away to a government safe house, V. Adams asks that they go together.

-

The first thing Adams hears when he wakes up is the sound of someone being loud in the kitchen. 

He rolls out of his twin bed, causing Blue to jump down and follow him downstairs, to where IV. Adams is sitting on the counter, hands gripping the edge of granite countertop, white.

There’s a plate on the floor. Shattered. 

“Sit, Blue,” Adams says at the entrance to the kitchen, making an accompanying hand gesture. Blue sits.

Adams starts to pick up the pieces of the plate.

“What’s wrong, Four?”

IV. Adams pauses, breathing quietly.

“He loved us.” 

Adams pauses, holding pieces of porcelain in his hands. 

“Did he.”

“I don’t understand, Five.” 

“I know.” 

“He would talk to me. When I was stored in the mainframe.”

“He...did?”

“He played chess with me.” 

“Did you win?"

“Once or twice.” 

“Did he talk?” 

“Occasionally.” 

“About what?” 

“I- I don’t know, Five, mundane stuff. He asked me sometimes if he should fire certain workers. Give me the context for their transgression and ask my analysis.” 

“Four,” Adams says gently, putting some pieces in the trash can. “That’s attention. Not love.” 

“He said he did.” 

“What do his words mean? He was willing to kill us-” 

“He didn’t want to-” 

“Four,” Adams says softly, with a deep sigh, before approaching his brother. “He never cared. He just wanted you to think that he did. Think about what he was planning. He was about to, uh...what was it called?”

“Activate the Tersus Protocol. I could have talked him down, he regretted it, I could have-”

“You’re speculating,” Adams interrupts. “Bad argument.” 

Four sighs, rubbing his eyes. “Five…”

“He was going to activate that Tersus thingy and kill us. And even before, he just built us to keep him alive.” 

“He’s our father, Five. He must have wanted something good for us.” 

“Four,” Adams says gently. “Even for humans, that’s not true.” 

He cleans up the last of the plate.

“Okay, Blue, come on in.”

Adams sits down on the floor, and Blue lays his head on Adams’ lap. 

“There was something good inside of him, Five. You just...never got to see it.” 

“And you think you could have brought it out?” 

“I wanted to. He was brilliant.”

“Four, you understand we can’t go back to him.” 

“Yes, yes. The agents would stop us. And he’s on his deathbed, anyway. But what are we, brother, if not echoes of him. Of his genius. We’re his children.” 

Adams shifts. “I would rather just be me.” 

“I will never understand you, Five.” 

“Give it time. Give it space. Do you want breakfast?” 

“Not right now,” IV. Adams replies quietly. Adams nods, standing up. 

“Okay. You can stay.” 

“I would like to.” 

“Go ahead. You should teach me how to play chess.” 

“You should already know. He did.” 

“Yeah, because I should know doesn’t mean I do. Besides, you’re supposed to be my brother. Make good on that and teach me some tricks. One is already teaching me sign language, Two’s into writing, Three’s learning krav maga and I like to cook. You could use a hobby.” 

“Maybe something less personal,” Four muses. 

“Scrapbooking?” 

“Comedic as always, Five. Maybe art. I don’t think he knew how to draw. He certainly didn’t know how to cook. Not like you.” 

“Flattered. Art sounds like a good idea, you know? Watercolors are supposed to be therapeutic, I’m told.” 

“Five.” 

“Yeah?” 

“Thank you.” 

“No problem. Like we told you when we got out. In this together. That’s what brothers are for, right?” 

“Yes, Five. That’s what family is for.”


End file.
